Upcoming Events

Students from CIM and the CWRU early music program present a wide range of repertoire in this series of early evening performances. To make your evening even more musical, attend the 8pm CIM Orchestra Concert at Severance.

Presented in collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Case Western Reserve University Music Department.

Students New to the Sato Center

Whether your child is a beginning student, a transfer student, or a sibling, we strongly encourage all parents to attend the Parent Class. The Eight-Week Parent Class is designed to create a support group for new parents in our program; encouraging members to study or review the principles of the Suzuki Philosophy and Method, as well as generating discussions about home practice and other topics of interest.

The curriculum of the Parent Class reviews materials detailed in the new parent packet, creating discussions of Suzuki philosophy and application, assign required readings, and observe the role of the parent in the "Parent-Teacher-Child" triangle. This information will be reinforced during the private lesson. In addition, Suzuki parents will be learning the instrument alongside their children and will receive training through 'hands-on' guidance in order to continue your child's instruction at home.

Beginning students will commence with private lessons at the start of the fall semester. If the private teacher feels the student is ready to start group lessons, the child will placed in the New Beginner Class starting in November.

Instruments Offered / Finding an Instrument

The Sato Center offers lessons from the age of 4 in:

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass

Piano

We ask that beginning parents refrain from obtaining an instrument for their child until they are placed with an instructor; the Sato faculty are skilled in selecting the correct sized instrument and in giving advice as to where to obtain an instrument. The first few lessons will include introductory steps in training the parent to be the home teacher, developing focus and concentration, as well as sizing the child for the proper instrument and helping the parent purchase or rent an instrument.

Students Age Four and Up

Suzuki study is based on both individual attention and group experiences. All Suzuki students in the Sato Center participate in weekly private and group lessons totaling an hour or more of highly specialized instruction. Additionally, beginning parents are required to attend the Eight-week fall parent class for beginning Suzuki parents before their child will join a group class. This, together with listening, home practice, and performance experiences, offers a total program for musical development and enjoyment.

The Suzuki Studies Program

Click on the links below to learn about the different components of the CIM Suzuki Studies program.

In order to be placed on the Sato Center placement list, the parent and child must observe a minimum of five Saturday classes (offered Fall & Spring Semester only) of the desired instrument at any level. Once a student has been placed with a teacher in the program, all new students and parents are required to observe three private lessons taught by the new teacher and two Saturday group lessons at the Book 1 level. These observations are to be completed and recorded during the 8-week parent class. The observations are included in the tuition.

Thirty minutes are recommended during the first few years of study. In the beginning, this time will be shared by child and parent, in order to instruct the parent in his or her role as home teacher. The parent is expected to observe all lessons and supervise home practice until the teacher determines that the student is sufficiently mature to work without help. When music reading is introduced, often around Book 2 or 3 level, it is advisable to increase the private lesson time to 45 minutes and daily practice proportionately. Students may remain at this lesson length until reaching an advanced level in which 1 hour is recommended.

Group performance classes meet weekly, encouraging technical skill development, repertoire review, and musical style, in a highly motivational setting. Students are placed in a group according to ability level at the commencement of fall semester, and should remain in the assigned group throughout the year. While parents are not required to attend group classes, it is highly recommended. Group lessons give the student the opportunity to work with many of the various teachers at the school, and parents can utilize many ideas from these sessions to improve home practice. It is also extremely helpful to observe your child's participation, behavior, and preparedness. Please remember that although the children are having fun and we occasionally ask for applause, this is a lesson, so observers are asked to sit quietly, including siblings!

Every Saturday from 9:45 - 10:15a.m., the Sato Center has a performance time where students are given the opportunity to perform for each other. In addition, students perform on solo and studio recitals that occur at different times throughout the year (see the Sato Calendar).

The Spring Workshop takes place every other year. Due to limited space, the workshop is only open to Sato Center students. Suzuki Teacher Training Courses are open to the public and will be posted on the CIM website.